KFC?

 

Some cars weigh less than the 350Z. Some weigh more. Amazing isn't it?

 

I talked to some reputable Mid-A members about this question. The "heavy" opinion has a lot to do with the handle feeling from the stock steering wheel. From my personal experience, I have not seen many members with aftermarket steering wheels. I was told that handling greatly improves by simply getting an aftermarket steering wheel. Now go figure what my next mod will be

 

Not sure we're you're getting your numbers for a roadster. Curb weight for a 2005 Z Roadster is about 3450 lbs. Considering I have no cats or a spare/tool set in the trunk, I would put money that my roadster is less than 3400 lbs with a 1/4 tank of gas.

 

The Z looks heavy to others who know nothing about it.

 

Ever hear of drifting? Drifiting is a form of Auto-x

 

Agreed... Most of those people are doing just that... Looking aka speculating.

 

Good info

 

Hmmm, this kinda goes along with my feeling of the Z. It doesnt really feel light, nor does it feel heavy, and I also agree with everyone saying it has a very "solid" feel making it seem more heavy. To me, its more control giving it the "heavy" feel.

 

Z is heavy... you compared it to other heavy cars... How about s2000's weight... bmw Z4, mazda rx7 mazda rx8... Z is a small 2seater, and you compared it with a lot of sedans or 4 seaters

 

I agree, but the 350 isnt AS small as a lot of the mentioned lighter 2 seater cars. IMO the 350 looks much larger...

 

Yeah it looks bigger and looks heavier, but it is heavy compared to most 2seaters

 

So its kind of a beast of its own as far as weight goes for 2 seaters... It looks bigger and heavier, because it is. The Z being too heavy has never crossed my mind while driving it. one great thing about the Z I have noticed, is how well balanced it is, and how the weight is distributed. Much better than my 2001 prelude, which had 64% in the front. The + there has been so great, the thought of too much weight hasnt really crossed my mind until I read the weight threads.

 

all of those cars are 4 cylinders besides the z4 and the z4 isn't light as the rest of those. And if you drove in all of those cars, they are really loud. You have to give up something to gain another. If i could have a light z and it being not as solid and being loud, i would not do it. I rather have more weight than all the cars you listed and be faster. Like it already is.

 

Good point, V6, one of the main reasons I got a Z

 

TRUE! Didn't think about the engine size! thanks... just wish my Z could be at least under 3000 lol

 

Speaking of it being a v6... does anyone know the weight of the vq35de or hr... in comparrison with other motors in its class?

 

A lot of its weight comes from each door weighing 100+lbs, and the trunk hatch weighing nearly as much, if not more, and the hood weighing ~60lbs. It all adds up.

It's a small car, so it needs to have the strongest possible shell in order to withstand impacts, and it works. We're driving a 5-star crash rated sports car. RX8 guys can't say the same. Neither can the S2K, and most other cars on that list. I'd rather take solace in knowing that I'm driving a safe car, that's a little heavier than two others, as opposed to a light car that has a higher chance of injury upon impact. Am I the only one?

Still, my car also weighed 3250lbs stock with a nearly full tank too. To me, that's light.

 

Here's my honest answer to your question:

Nissan themselves list the 350Z as ranging from 3300 to 3400 lbs (depending on trim), so your value is lower than published data (for whatever reason).

Cars like the Mistsu EVO and Subaru WRX not only have back seats and four doors, but also all-wheel drive.

Nissan will generally be compared to other 2 seaters - Pontiac Solstice, Porsche Boxster/Cayman, BMW Z4, Honda S2000, Mazda MX5, and all of those cars weigh less than the 350Z.

I'm not sure on the RX8, but I'm guessing that the RX8 is also lighter than the 350Z with a back seat and semi rear doors.

I've always been a fan of light weight. By reducing weight, you automatically gain not only in acceleration, but also turning and braking. I'm sure many of the current 350Z owners like it partly because it is heavier, but that weight tends to shift it from the "sport" category to the "grand touring" class. A few years ago, I drove a Boxster and Z4 back to back, and while the Boxster felt lighter and nimbler, I did sort of prefer the more solid, stable feel of the Z4 and ended up buying it (it was also a newly designed Z4 vs. what was a Boxster at the end of its life-span prior to update). So I can see how heavier sometimes feels better.

Bottom line, I'd like to see the 350Z lose a couple hundred pounds as has been rumored. It's not a porker now, but it will gain some responsiveness with a little less weight and be better able to compete head-to-head with it's competitors.

 

Good point.

And on top of that, the Z is pretty damn big compared to those above mentioned cars, with the biggest motor to boot. People look at the Z in pictures, or casually on the road and they think the car is small.

The single stroke curves of the roofline, hood and tail make the car's design look minimalist and compact, when in reality it's a pretty massive car. Then when people find out how much some of them weigh (especially the roadsters) they write off Z's as being porky.

You'll realize how big a Z is when you park one next to other mid-size cars. (like the 3 series BMW or M3)
At a little over 3100 lbs, and all the seating room inside, I'd say my car feel's pretty damn good to drive. The only other Nissan I've driven, that has as much leg room and weighed significantly lighter was a 240sx, and those weren't nearly as responsive without suspension mods.

The 350z is a little too small to be a GT, a little too big to be a nimble sportscar. For alot of guys who like to modify cars, it's the perfect platform: With some tweaking, it can do well on either ends of the spectrum.